Musashi-no-Kuni, one of the former regional provinces of Japan, was once spread out over parts of Tokyo, Saitama pref., and Kanagawa pref. The Ookunitama Shinto Shrine houses Ookunitama-no-Ookami who opened Musashi-no-Kuni. It is a shrine which with nearly 1900 years’ worth of history.
Because similar shrines are housed in Musashi-no-Kuni (from Ichi-no-miya to Roku-no-miya) such as Akiruno City’s Ninomiya Shrine and Chichibu Shrine, Ookunitama Shinto Shrine is also called “Rokushogu.” Furthermore, as Musashi-no-Kuni Sousha, the shrine is home to the many shrine gods of Musashi-no-Kuni. In addition, Ootori Shrine, made famous by Toshogu and Tori-no-Ichi, is also housed within the inner shrine.

One of Ookunitama Shinto Shrine’s regularly held festivals called the Kurayami-matsuri festival. This festival originates from a nighttime procession of a Mikoshi carrying a deceased person’s spirit to avoid looking straight at the appearance of the gods. At the current festival, on 5th May at 6 p.m. the Mikoshi procession begins. It is said that on this day that Ookunitama-no-Ookami appears. Lead by six large, purifying Taiko drums along with the shrine’s numerous treasures (used to show the solemnity of the festival), eight Mikoshi are carried vigorously through the city.